Interfering with interferons: targeting the JAK-STAT pathway in complications of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA)

Author(s):  
Emely L Verweyen ◽  
Grant S Schulert

Abstract Systemic JIA (SJIA) is distinguished from other forms of JIA by the prevalence of the severe, life-threatening complications macrophage activation syndrome (SJIA-MAS) and lung disease (SJIA-LD). Alternative therapeutics are urgently needed, as disease pathogenesis diverges from what is observed in SJIA, and currently available biologics are insufficient. SJIA-MAS, defined by a cytokine storm and dysregulated proliferation of T-lymphocytes, and SJIA-LD which presents with lymphocytic interstitial inflammation and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, are both thought to be driven by IFNs, in particular the type II IFN-γ. Involvement of IFNs and a possible crosstalk of type I IFNs with existing biologics indicate a distinct role for the JAK-STAT signalling pathway in the pathogenesis of SJIA-MAS and SJIA-LD. Here, we review this role of JAK-STATs and IFNs in SJIA complications and discuss how new insights of ongoing research are shaping future therapeutic advances in the form of JAK inhibitors and antibodies targeting IFNs.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung Jae Shin ◽  
Tae Gun Kang ◽  
Kee Woong Kwon ◽  
Kyung Soo Kim ◽  
Insuk Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is often exacerbated upon coinfection, but the underlying immunological mechanisms remain unclear. Here, to elucidate these mechanisms, we used a Mtb and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus coinfection model. Viral coinfection significantly suppressed Mtb-specific IFN-γ production, with elevated bacterial loads and hyperinflammation in the lungs. Type I IFN signaling blockade rescued the Mtb-specific IFN-γ response and ameliorated lung immunopathology. Single-cell sequencing, tissue immunofluorescence staining, and adoptive transfer experiments revealed that type I IFN signaling produced in response to viral infection inhibited CXCL9/10 production in myeloid cells, resulting in impaired pulmonary migration of Mtb-specific CD4+ T cells from lymph nodes. Thus, virus coinfection-induced type I IFN signaling prior to the pulmonary localization of Mtb-specific Th1 cells exacerbates TB immunopathogenesis by impeding the Mtb-specific Th1 cell influx. Our study highlights another novel negative role of viral coinfection and/or type I IFNs in delaying Mtb-specific Th1 responses in the lung.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 113 (16) ◽  
pp. 3813-3820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Nardi ◽  
Olaia Naveiras ◽  
Mohammad Azam ◽  
George Q. Daley

Abstract Interferon (IFN) is effective at inducing complete remissions in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and evidence supports an immune mechanism. Here we show that the type I IFNs (alpha and beta) regulate expression of the IFN consensus sequence-binding protein (ICSBP) in BCR-ABL–transformed cells and as shown previously for ICSBP, induce a vaccine-like immunoprotective effect in a murine model of BCR-ABL–induced leukemia. We identify the chemokines CCL6 and CCL9 as genes prominently induced by the type I IFNs and ICSBP, and demonstrate that these immunomodulators are required for the immunoprotective effect of ICSBP expression. Insights into the role of these chemokines in the antileukemic response of IFNs suggest new strategies for immunotherapy of CML.


2021 ◽  
Vol 218 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Lopez ◽  
Marine Mommert ◽  
William Mouton ◽  
Andrés Pizzorno ◽  
Karen Brengel-Pesce ◽  
...  

IFN-I and IFN-III immunity in the nasal mucosa is poorly characterized during SARS-CoV-2 infection. We analyze the nasal IFN-I/III signature, namely the expression of ISGF-3–dependent IFN-stimulated genes, in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients and show its correlation with serum IFN-α2 levels, which peak at symptom onset and return to baseline from day 10 onward. Moreover, the nasal IFN-I/III signature correlates with the nasopharyngeal viral load and is associated with the presence of infectious viruses. By contrast, we observe low nasal IFN-I/III scores despite high nasal viral loads in a subset of critically ill COVID-19 patients, which correlates with the presence of autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against IFN-I in both blood and nasopharyngeal mucosa. In addition, functional assays in a reconstituted human airway epithelium model of SARS-CoV-2 infection confirm the role of such auto-Abs in abrogating the antiviral effects of IFN-I, but not those of IFN-III. Thus, IFN-I auto-Abs may compromise not only systemic but also local antiviral IFN-I immunity at the early stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection.


Rheumatology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 420-429
Author(s):  
Takayuki Katsuyama ◽  
Hao Li ◽  
Suzanne M Krishfield ◽  
Vasileios C Kyttaris ◽  
Vaishali R Moulton

Abstract Objective CD4 T helper 1 (Th1) cells producing IFN-γ contribute to inflammatory responses in the pathogenesis of SLE and lupus nephritis. Moreover, elevated serum type II IFN levels precede the appearance of type I IFNs and autoantibodies in patient years before clinical diagnosis. However, the molecules and mechanisms that control this inflammatory response in SLE remain unclear. Serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1) is decreased in T cells from SLE patients, and restrains T cell hyperactivity and systemic autoimmunity. Our objective here was to evaluate the role of SRSF1 in IFN-γ production, Th1 differentiation and experimental nephritis. Methods T cell-conditional Srsf1-knockout mice were used to study nephrotoxic serum-induced nephritis and evaluate IFN-γ production and Th1 differentiation by flow cytometry. RNA sequencing was used to assess transcriptomics profiles. RhoH was silenced by siRNA transfections in human T cells by electroporation. RhoH and SRSF1 protein levels were assessed by immunoblots. Results Deletion of Srsf1 in T cells led to increased Th1 differentiation and exacerbated nephrotoxic serum nephritis. The expression levels of RhoH are decreased in Srsf1-deficient T cells, and silencing RhoH in human T cells leads to increased production of IFN-γ. Furthermore, RhoH expression was decreased and directly correlated with SRSF1 in T cells from SLE patients. Conclusion Our study uncovers a previously unrecognized role of SRSF1 in restraining IFN-γ production and Th1 differentiation through the control of RhoH. Reduced expression of SRSF1 may contribute to pathogenesis of autoimmune-related nephritis through these molecular mechanisms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 205 (11) ◽  
pp. 2941-2950
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Turnier ◽  
J. Michelle Kahlenberg

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 1142-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kouji Kobiyama ◽  
Burcu Temizoz ◽  
Tomohiro Kanuma ◽  
Koji Ozasa ◽  
Masatoshi Momota ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type I ◽  

2011 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 2112-2119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Danielle C. Chessler ◽  
Kacey L. Caradonna ◽  
Akram Da'dara ◽  
Barbara A. Burleigh

ABSTRACTTrypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite that causes human Chagas' disease, induces a type I interferon (IFN) (IFN-α/β) response during acute experimental infection in mice and in isolated primary cell types. To examine the potential impact of the type I IFN response in shaping outcomes in experimentalT. cruziinfection, groups of wild-type (WT) and type I IFN receptor-deficient (IFNAR−/−) 129sv/ev mice were infected with two differentT. cruzistrains under lethal and sublethal conditions and several parameters were measured during the acute stage of infection. The results demonstrate that type I IFNs are not required for early host protection againstT. cruzi. In contrast, under conditions of lethalT. cruzichallenge, WT mice succumbed to infection whereas IFNAR−/−mice were ultimately able to control parasite growth and survive.T. cruziclearance in and survival of IFNAR−/−mice were accompanied by higher levels of IFN-γ production by isolated splenocytes in response to parasite antigen. The suppression of IFN-γ in splenocytes from WT mice was independent of IL-10 levels. While the impact of type I IFNs on the production of IFN-γ and other cytokines/chemokines remains to be fully determined in the context ofT. cruziinfection, our data suggest that, under conditions of high parasite burden, type I IFNs negatively impact IFN-γ production, initiating a detrimental cycle that contributes to the ultimate failure to control infection. These findings are consistent with a growing theme in the microbial pathogenesis field in which type I IFNs can be detrimental to the host in a variety of nonviral pathogen infection models.


2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (13) ◽  
pp. 6549-6563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin L. Lousberg ◽  
Cara K. Fraser ◽  
Michael G. Tovey ◽  
Kerrilyn R. Diener ◽  
John D. Hayball

ABSTRACT Type I interferons (IFNs) are considered to be important mediators of innate immunity due to their inherent antiviral activity, ability to drive the transcription of a number of genes involved in viral clearance, and their role in the initiation of innate and adaptive immune responses. Due to the central role of type I IFNs, we sought to determine their importance in the generation of immunity to a recombinant vaccine vector fowlpox virus (FPV). In analyzing the role of type I IFNs in immunity to FPV, we show that they are critical to the secretion of a number of innate and proinflammatory cytokines, including type I IFNs themselves as well as interleukin-12 (IL-12), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-6, and IL-1β, and that deficiency leads to enhanced virus-mediated antigen expression. Interestingly, however, type I IFNs were not required for adaptive immune responses to recombinant FPV even though plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), the primary producers of type I IFNs, have been shown to be requisite for this to occur. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the importance of pDCs may lie in their ability to capture and present virally derived antigen to T cells rather than in their capacity as professional type I IFN-producing cells.


2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. e1000966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumi Nakayama ◽  
Erin H. Plisch ◽  
Jeremy Sullivan ◽  
Chester Thomas ◽  
Charles J. Czuprynski ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 1698-1709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yubin Zhang ◽  
Vinh Thai ◽  
Amanda McCabe ◽  
Maura Jones ◽  
Katherine C. MacNamara

ABSTRACTHuman monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) is caused by a tick-borne obligate intracellular pathogen of the orderRickettsiales. HME disease can range from mild to a fatal, toxic shock-like syndrome, yet the mechanisms regulating pathogenesis are not well understood. We define a central role for type I interferons (alpha interferon [IFN-α] and IFN-β) in severe disease in a mouse model of fatal ehrlichiosis caused byIxodes ovatusEhrlichia(IOE). IFN-α and IFN-β were induced by IOE infection but not in response to a less virulent strain,Ehrlichia muris. The major sources of type I IFNs during IOE infection were plasmacytoid dendritic cells and monocytes. Mice lacking the receptor for type I IFNs (Ifnardeficient) or neutralization of IFN-α and IFN-β resulted in a reduced bacterial burden.Ifnar-deficient mice exhibited significantly increased survival after IOE infection, relative to that of wild-type (WT) mice, that correlated with increased type II IFN (IFN-γ) production. Pathogen-specific antibody responses were also elevated inIfnar-deficient mice, and this required IFN-γ. Remarkably, increased IFN-γ and IgM were not essential for protection in the absence of type I IFN signaling. The direct effect of type I IFNs on hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells was evaluated in bone marrow chimeric mice. We observed that chimeric mice containingIfnar-deficient hematopoietic cells succumbed to infection early, whereasIfnar-deficient mice containing WT hematopoietic cells exhibited increased survival, despite having a higher bacterial burden. These data demonstrate that IFN-α receptor signaling in nonhematopoietic cells is important for pathogenesis. Thus, type I IFNs are induced during a rickettsial infectionin vivoand promote severe disease.


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